Hoping For The Best
by gimmeachancetofly
Summary: After seven years of just an occasional picture or two, Will wants to meet his daughter. Sucky summary, but please read! Companion to chapter two of my story Never Forget What I Lost...rated T juuuuust in case!
1. Sending All My Love To You

**A/N: Hey! So this story is a companion to the second chapter of my other AI story, **_**Never Forget What I Lost.**_** I guess you don't have to read it…but it would make me really happy if you did!**

**Disclaimer: *checks pockets* nope…don't own American Idiot…drat…**

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><p>It was just another typical day for Heather: drop her daughter, Hope, off at school, get to her waitressing job at a local café, and then get back in time for the bus to bring little Hope back home.<p>

As she pulled out of the elementary school parking lot, she realized she had left her cell phone at home. So she promptly headed towards the little house she and Hope called home. The house was a small, simple one. The exterior was bland beige, but inside it was bright, colorful, and filled to the brim with laughter, as most houses with young children are.

As she walked in the door, Heather noticed a letter on the counter that she had tossed there yesterday, not having time to read it. She picked it up and gasped when she saw the return address: Will Esper.

_Will._

Heather didn't know how to feel about him. On one hand, he had once been her everything. When she found out she was pregnant with _his_ child, she saw them getting married, raising a family, and spending the rest of their lives together. Obviously, that hadn't happened.

Instead, what befell upon them was that Will had turned into a lazy ass who sat on the couch all day drinking while she did her best to take care of her little girl. Then one day she had become so fed up with his lack of care that she left.

Later, Miguel came along, and he changed everything. Heather should've known he would be trouble but, come on, doesn't every girl dream about having a rock 'n' roll boyfriend? Then she found out about the half dozen girls he had scattered around the country.

Heartbroken, she kicked him out and continued to raise her daughter on her own. At seven years old, Hope was very mature for her age and accepted the fact that she didn't have a father figure in her life.

But now here was Will, trying to make his way into their lives. Heather tore open the envelope and a small slip of paper fell out.

_Heather, _it said, _You're probably going to be pissed at me for this, but I want our daughter to know who I am, even if it's just through these letters. You two will always be in my heart. Please don't keep these from her. –Will_

Heather felt a huge pang of guilt in her heart. He cared. He actually cared. She had been assuming that after she left he had just moved on with other girls. And maybe he had, but he said she was in his heart. Heather didn't know what to think anymore.

She pulled seven sheets of paper from the envelope, one for each of Hope's birthdays. As she skimmed through the letters he had written, her eyes came across phrases like "_I am always thinking of you_," and "_I love you so much_." Heather felt so horrible.

She needed to let him meet their daughter. After all, Hope was his daughter, too, and he clearly wanted to meet her. After much searching on the internet, she found Will's phone number. Hands shaking, she dialed the number, and after a few rings, someone answered.

"Hello?" a familiar voice said.

"Will?" Heather asked shakily.

"Heather?"

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><p>Heather was still slightly in shock when she left to pick Hope up at the bus stop. Will would be there <em>tomorrow. <em>He wasn't mad at all, in fact he sounded really excited. It was kind of cute. No, Heather had promised herself she wouldn't think of things like that. Will was coming for Hope, not for her.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Heather's head snapped up to find her little girl running off the school bus. Hope jumped up and hugged her mother.

"Mommy, Gloria invited me and Christian over to her house to play pirates!" she squealed. "Can I go?"

Heather looked into the eyes of her daughter. She was so excited for the play date, she would tell her about Will later.

"Of course you can, honey," she said softly, brushing back a strand of blond hair on Hope's sweet face. "Have fun, I want you home by dinner!"

As Hope ran off with her two best friends, she couldn't help thinking how happy Will would be when he met her.

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><p><strong>AN: So I hope you liked this! If you did, tell me in a review! If you think I can do better and have constructive criticism, tell me in a review! As you can tell, I like reviews! XD**

**Also, I have not decided yet whether Will and Heather are going to get back together or not. That is up to you guys! If you think they should, tell me! If you think they shouldn't, tell me! I have ideas for both, but I don't want to disappoint anyone so I figured I'd ask for your opinion! Thanks so much for reading! REVIEW!**


	2. Everything Will Be Alright

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews guys! So, only one person gave their feedback on whether Will and Heather should get back together, so I made a poll on my profile that way it'll be a lot easier for me to see what people want! Please vote on it!**

**Disclaimer: Well, I own the soundtrack, a tshirt, and a playbill...does that count as owning AI?**

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><p>"I'm meeting her."<p>

Johnny looked up from his guitar.

"What?" he asked. He had been lost in his music.

"I'm meeting her," Will said excitedly. "Hope, my daughter. Heather called and asked if I wanted to meet her, so I'm driving up tomorrow!"

Johnny laughed at his friend's happiness, albeit a little sadly. This was just like seven years ago, only now he was the one staying home. Tunny was at a military base with his Extraordinary Girl, Christina, and now Will would be leaving, too.

"I don't think I'll be gone long, it depends on how things go down between me and Heather." Will was still talking, not noticing that Johnny wasn't paying attention. "We have some..._issues_ to resolve. And it depends on if she likes me."

By "she" Will meant Hope. He wondered if she hated him for not being there for her and her mother. Or maybe she dreamed day and night of having her father find her. Only Hope knew the answer to that, but by tomorrow he would know, too.

He had been in complete shock when Heather had called. He remembered the conversation had only a few hours ago.

_"Hello?" he had asked, cursing the fact that they still didn't have caller ID._

_"Will?" said a very familiar voice._

_"_Heather_?" Will's jaw dropped._

_"Um, yeah." Her voice was exactly the same. "I-I got the letters."_

_"Y-you did?" Will became slightly nervous. What if she was going to start screaming at him and accusing him of worming his way back into their lives?_

_"Yeah, I did," she said, "And I was wondering, well, ?"_

_"Um, what?" Will didn't want to seem like he wasn't paying attention, he remembered how she would always yell at him for zoning out when she was talking._

_"I was wondering." She paused. "I was wondering if you wanted to meet her? Hope, that is."_

He had been on cloud nine as he agreed to drive up the next day to the small little town they were living in to see them. He couldn't believe he would be meeting his daughter in less than twenty-four hours. That small glimmer of hope that had resided in his heart when he mailed the letters had spread throughout his body. Now he was hoping for the best.

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><p>Heather looked up from the dinner she was making when she heard the front door open and close. Hope stumbled over the threshold before hopping into a chair at the kitchen table.<p>

"How was playing pirates with Christian and Gloria?" Heather asked, unsure of when she should mention Will.

"Well," Hope began, "We actually decided _not _to play pirates 'cause we do that a lot. So instead we played that Gloria was a princess locked up in a tower and Christian had to go rescue her and I was the evil witch keeping Princess Gloria away from Prince Christian! Then he had to kill me by throwing me into my own cauldron of evilness!"

Heather laughed at how fun-loving her daughter was. Will was going to love her.

"B-but then Christian's older brother came out."

Heather sighed. Christian's older brother was trouble, everyone in town knew that. He was the ringleader of a tough group that everyone knew did drugs and all that bad stuff Heather wanted to protect Hope from. Yet no one had any real proof, so he never got caught.

"What did he say this time?" she asked, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"H-he was making fun of me for not havin' a dad." Hope looked down into her lap, not wanting to meet her eyes. "H-he said that you were a 'irresponsible slut.' I don't even know what that means, Mommy."

"I'll tell you when you're older, hon," Heather said softly, trying not to get angry about what the little shit thought of her. Hope looked so hurt over the fact that she didn't have a dad. Now was the perfect time. "But Hope, you do have a father. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't care about me," Hope mumbled, fighting back tears.

"Oh, Hope!" Heather exclaimed, shocked at what her daughter thought. "He does! He really does care about you; he even sent these the other day, he wanted you to know just how much he loves you."

Hope looked at the letters. Her eyes with filled with so much wonder and amazement that the letters might as well have been a lifetime supply of candy, or a magic wand. As she read through them, Heather watched her, trying to read her expression. Hope finished reading the last letter and looked up at her mother.

"He really thinks that?" she asked, her voice hesitant, as if she were afraid the answer was 'no.'

"Yeah." Heather nodded her head. "Yeah he does. And in fact, I called him today, and asked him if he wanted to meet you."

Hope's eyes became wide. Heather continued.

"And he said yes."

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><p>As Will was driving up to meet his daughter (he would never get tired of calling her that), nothing could have made him sad, angry, or upset. Even when the guy in the car next to him threw his empty soda bottle at Will's car, leaving a <em>huge<em> scratch, Will didn't yell, blare his horn, _or_ give him the finger.

Because the only feeling inside him was the feeling of hope.

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><p><strong>AN: So I hope (hehe get it? _Hope?_ yeah... not that funny...) you guys liked this! Thanks so much for the feedback! Please vote on the poll, and REVIEWWWW!**


	3. Almost There

**A/N: Hello and welcome to the third installment of **_**Never Forget What I Lost**_**! Thanks so much to iNvIsIbLe GiRl 12 and elainebr for reviewing the last chapter, you guys rock!**

**Anybody who finds my Next to Normal reference is awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I'm a rebel, I'm a saint, I'm the salt of the earth and I'm dangerous…and yet I still don't own American Idiot :(**

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><p>"I'm meeting my daddy today!"<p>

Gloria looked up from the drawing of a princess she was helping Hope color in.

"But I thought you didn't have a daddy?" Gloria inquired, being the curious little girl she was.

"I didn't think I did but turns out I do!" Hope exclaimed, her excitement causing her to accidentally throw her purple crayon behind her. It landed on Christian's head then fell onto the dinosaur he was coloring in.

"Hey, you ruined my tyrannosaurus rex!" Christian pouted, crossing his little chicken arms over his chest.

Hope just laughed. She was too happy to care that Christian was now ruining her princess drawing. In just a few short hours, she would be meeting her dad.

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><p>Heather paced around the kitchen. Will was coming today. <em>Will Esper. <em>What was she going to do? Memories came flooding back from high school when their futures were bright and filled with love.

"_Hey."_

_Sixteen year-old Heather Faber turned around and shut her locker. Standing in front of her was Will Esper._

"_Hey," she responded, unsure of what the mysterious songwriter bad boy was doing and why he looked so nervous. "What's up?"_

"_Uh, well," he sputtered. He looked over her shoulder and glared. She glanced behind her and saw his two best friends, wimpy Johnny Gallagher and Tunny Sands the super genius, giving him thumbs up and encouraging smiles._

"_Yes?" she asked. She had an idea of what was about to happen, and she wished he would just hurry up._

"_Well, y-you know how there's the dance on March 1__st__?" he asked nervously. "I-I was, well, I was wondering if you wanted to go? W-with me, that is."_

"_Totally!" she said. "I'd love to."_

"_R-really?" he asked, completely shocked._

"_Yeah," she said, trying to remain calm and keep up her _I'm-the-most-popular-girl-in-school-so-everyone-is-beneath-me _act. But she was _so_ excited._

Heather shook her head, snapping out of the memory. That had been their first date, she had worn a purple dress and he had looked so handsome, even though he insisted on wearing his favorite, worn out pair of Converse sneakers. She smiled sadly; it had been one of the best nights of her life.

She glanced at the clock and realized that the bus would be dropping off Hope any second. Rushing out the door, Heather got there just in time as the yellow school bus was opening its doors. She watched as Hope bounded off the bus, gave Gloria and Christian each a big hug, then ran into her mother's arms.

"Is he here yet?" she squealed.

"No, not yet," Heather said, bending down so she was face-to-face with her daughter. "He should be here soon, though."

She smoothed down Hope's long, messy blonde hair, and looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes that looked so much like her father's. She took her hand and together they proceeded toward the house.

"Mommy," Hope said, looking into her mother's crystal blue eyes. "Mommy, is he really coming?"

Heather just nodded, not trusting herself to say anything out loud. She was so confused over Will. She loved him, but _loved_ him. Emphasis on the fact that it was past tense. Did she still love him? What if he had found someone else? Was that good or bad for her? All of Heather's thoughts were halted when she saw a familiar red Chevy pick up truck pull into the driveway.

Will was there.

"Is that him, Mommy?" Hope asked. When Heather nodded, Hope backed away from the door. "I'm kind of scared."

"Oh, Hope don't worry!" Heather comforted her daughter. "How about you stay in the kitchen for now, and then I can talk to him first?"

Hope nodded her little head before retreating to the kitchen. Heather nearly hit the ceiling when the doorbell rang. This was really happening; he was actually right there. She had exactly what she was going to say all planned out in her head, but when she opened the door, her mind went blank.

There was Will, looking almost exactly the same as he had seven years ago. From his red Converse sneakers, dark blue jeans, and black t-shirt with some band logo on it, to the mop of messy black hair and chocolate brown eyes, there was no doubt that it really was Will.

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><p>As Will pulled into the driveway, the fear of what he was about to do finally kicked in. What if she hated him? No, she almost definitely hated him. He was such an <em>ass<em>. He should have stayed. Mentally kicking himself, he opened the car door and tried to control his nerves as he walked up to the front door. He rang the doorbell and waited, trying to figure out what he was going to say.

When the door opened, everything in his mind had disappeared except for one thing: _Heather._

There she was, as beautiful as ever. With her blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, and a pink t-shirt hugging her body in all the right places, Will saw the same girl he fell in love with in high school.

"Hey," he said, his voice going up an octave from nervousness.

"Hey. It's…uh…it's been a long time." Her voice was exactly the same, too. "Here, come in."

She stepped aside to let him over the threshold. He looked around and saw toys scattered, scribbly drawings hung up on the walls, and pictures from all seven years of Hope's life everywhere. He couldn't believe how much he had missed.

He turned around and his eyes met Heather's fierce blue ones. A moment went by and neither of them said anything. There was too much to say. Then Heather stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Will.

"It's really good to see you," she whispered into his chest.

"You too." He smiled, and then his eyes saw a flash of blonde hair from around a corner.

"Is-Is that her?" he asked tentatively.

Heather pulled away from the hug slightly and nodded. Then she turned around towards the kitchen and said

"Hope? Are you ready to meet your father?"

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><p><strong>AN: Yay another chapter done! Haha I just _love_ cliff-hangers, don't you? XD**

**Please vote on the poll, and please please please review!**

**Also, anybody see the Tony's last night? Neil Patrick Harris is my love! And Daniel Radcliffe + American accent + singing and dancing + sexy blue bow tie = AMAZINGNESS! Can't wait till I go to NY to see him! And I almost fell off the couch when they said Aaron Tveit was performing. I love that man so much!  
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	4. Getting To Know You

**A/N: Hey so... um stupid me just realized that in the last author's note, I said the wrong story title…whoops! I said **_**Never Forget What I Lost**_** when I meant **_**Hoping For The Best…**_** oops! Anyway, thanks to iNvIsIbLe GiRl 12, elainebr, and YoungLittlePirate for reviewing the last chapter! Luv ya!**

**Disclaimer: *surprise adopts St. Jimmy***

**Jimmy: What the fuck? What am I doing here?**

**Me: Mwahahah! I own Jimmy!**

**Jimmy: Get a way from me, freak! *runs off to Johnny***

**Me: Aw, I guess I don't own Jimmy…or American Idiot… *sigh***

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><p><em>Heather pulled away from the hug slightly and nodded. Then she turned around towards the kitchen and said<em>

"_Hope? Are you ready to meet your father?"_

Will was shaking. This was it, what he had been waiting for all these years. He saw a little girl run out from around a corner and go straight to her mother's side. She had long blonde hair which was the exact same shade as her mother's, and chocolate brown eyes identical to the ones Will saw when he looked in the mirror.

"Hope, this is Will, your dad," Heather introduced. "Will, this is Hope, your daughter."

Hope looked up at him with wide eyes. As they looked each other directly in the eyes, Will felt a warm feeling go through his body, filling him with love. This was _his_ daughter.

"Is that a guitar on your shirt?" Hope asked and pointed a little finger at Will's shirt.

"Yeah." Will nodded. It was all so surreal to him.

"Do you play?"

Will nodded again.

"Me too!" Hope exclaimed. She then jumped over to where he was standing and held her arms out. Will reached down and lifted his daughter off of the ground, and into his arms.

"I like you already," she said softly, wrapping her small arms around his neck. Will smiled goofily and pulled her closer, whispering in her ear.

"I like you, too."

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><p>"<em>Push, Heather, push!" the nurse was saying.<em>

"_Come on, Heather. You can do this!" Will was gripping her hand tightly, doing his best to comfort her._

_After one more push, there was a moment of silence, and then a baby's cry filled the quiet hospital room. They took the crying baby away, and then brought her back wrapped in a pink blanket. As she took her baby in her arms, Heather burst into tears._

"_W-what's wrong, Heather?" Will asked, still in shock about the fact that he was a father now._

"_I-it's just…this is _our_ little girl." Heather sniffed. "She's ours, and nobody else's. I want her to be happy."_

"_I do, too."_

"_I-I just don't know if she'll be happy with us raising her, though."_

"What_?" Will was shocked._

"_Think about it: neither of us have a job, your place isn't really a safe environment for a baby, there's just so much that could go wrong!"_

"_Heather," Will said seriously, looking her right in the eyes. "You and this baby are the most important things in my life. I will do whatever I can to give this girl a bright future and a happy childhood. Even if, God forbid, we should split, I will never, _ever_ stop loving her, or you. You are my life. And so is this little beauty."_

_He reached down and wiped a tear from her cheek._

"_Hope," Heather said, putting her hand on top of his._

"_Huh?"_

"_I think we should name her Hope."_

"_Hope," Will repeated, mulling it over. "Hope Felicity."_

"_Felicity?"_

"_As a middle name, it means like happiness or something." He shrugged._

"_Hope Felicity Esper." Heather said. "Beautiful."_

"_Yeah, she is," he whispered, kissing Heather's forehead. "You both are."_

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><p>Heather snapped out of her memory as she glanced into Hope's bedroom. Will was sitting there, surrounded by ponies and princesses and glitter, with a look of awe on his face. Hope had pulled out her purple sparkly guitar and was showing it off to her dad.<p>

"Wow, Hope, that is so cool," he said, taking it in his arms and positioning it so that he could play. He started strumming a few notes and before he knew it he was playing the song he had written over seven years ago when Heather was pregnant with the little girl who was now listening to him sing.

"_Take away the sensation inside  
>Bittersweet migraine in my head<br>It's like a throbbing toothache of the mind  
>And I can't fight this feeling anymore<em>

_Drain the pressure from the swelling,  
>The sensation's overwhelming,<br>Give me a long kiss goodnight  
>And everything will be alright<br>Tell me that I won't feel a thing  
>So give me novacaine."<em>

"I remember you writing that," Heather said as she tried to nonchalantly sit down not too far from Will, but not too close either.

"Mommy, Daddy said he'd teach me how to play guitar even gooder!"

"_Better_, sweetheart," Heather said, stroking her daughter's head fondly. "He'll teach you how to play guitar even _better_. Which is really sweet of you, Will, she's been wanting to take lessons for so long, and I could barely afford the guitar itself."

"But now that you're here I can be a rock star!" Hope exclaimed.

"Yes, Hope," Heather chuckled. "You are going to be the greatest rock star who ever lived! But right now it's bedtime."

"But I don't wanna go to bed!" Hope whined. "I wanna get to know my daddy more!"

"He'll be here when you wake up, hon." Heather pulled back the blanket on Hope's bed and motioned for her to get in.

"You will?" Hope asked her father nervously, she didn't want him to leave.

"Of course I will, Hope," Will said softly, still trying to get used to the fact that he was a father, and this was his daughter, and she didn't hate him.

Hope was satisfied. She crawled into bed and said goodnight to both her mommy and her daddy, smiling even wider when she said 'daddy.' Heather turned off the light and began to head downstairs, motioning for Will to follow her.

"So, she really seemed to like you," she said after a moment of pure awkwardness. She wasn't looking him in the eyes.

"Heather, I…," Will began, but couldn't find the words he wanted to say.

"Did you mean everything you wrote in those letters?"

"Everything. And more," he added. After another brief moment of awkwardness, he added, "So… um things didn't work out with Miguel?"

"No," Heather responded curtly. It was clear she didn't want to elaborate on that subject. "How are things in Jingletown? How's Johnny and Tunny?"

"Same as always," Will sighed, thinking of the place where he grew up. "The 7-11 is still the center of the earth. Tunny and Christina are married now."

"Is Christina that girl he met in Iraq?"

"Yup." Will nodded. "And as for Johnny, well… he's still good ol' Johnny Cakes."

Heather laughed. It had been so long since he had heard her laugh. Like a tinkling bell, it rang through the kitchen they were standing in.

"And you?" she asked, curiously looking into his eyes. "How have you been?"

"Um…" Will responded, not really sure how to answer. How had he been? "Okay, I guess. Lonely."

"Oh," Heather said softly. "Well, you won't have to be lonely anymore. Hope has more energy than anyone I've ever met, and she _never _stops talking."

"Never?"

"Never."

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><p><strong>AN: So I'm sorry this took so long…I just wasn't sure how I wanted to have the father/daughter reunion go… I hope you liked it!**

**Also: I wrote a parody of the shit that is Rebecca Black's **_**Friday**_** and it's about Green Day! Anyone wanna hear it? Well too bad, you're gonna hear it anyway!**

**It's Green Day, Green Day, lock myself in my room and listen to Green Day! Everybody's rockin' out to Christian's Inferno! Green Day, Green Day, you know I love Green Day! Now I'm rockin' out to When I Come Around! Favorite Son, Letterbomb! YEAH! Favorite Son, Letterbomb! YEAH! Too Much Too Soon! That's how much I love Green Day!**

**I have **_**way**_** too much free time on my hands…PLEASE REVIEW! AND VOTE ON THE POLL!**

**Oh, and if you could be so kind as to read and review the one-shot I just posted, I will love you forever! It's my first SaintJesus fic :)  
><strong>


	5. A New Beginning

**A/N: I'm so sorry it's been over a month since I updated! I don't know what happened! Thanks so much to my amazing reviewers, I love you!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: If I owned American Idiot it would still be on Broadway, and I'd be going to see it every night. **_**And**_** Tony Vincent would still be St. Jimmy!**

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><p>When Will woke up the next morning, he shot out of bed, forgetting for a moment where he was. Then he remembered everything that had happened yesterday. He was here with his daughter. He smiled and stepped out of the guestroom quietly, not wanting to wake anyone up. He peeked in Heather's room and found that her bed was empty; she must have already woken up.<p>

He quietly made his way down the stairs towards the kitchen, thinking about last night. He had expected Heather to ignore his existence, or explode with anger when they were alone together. Instead, much to his surprise, they had gotten along pretty well. Granted, the only thing they talked about was Hope. Will had learned that as much as she wanted to be a princess, another one of Hope's biggest dreams was to be a musician. Heather had saved up money to get Hope a guitar and a keyboard, and for the past year she had been teaching herself how to play both. At only seven years old she had already written a few songs, even though she was so shy about it that she wouldn't let _anyone_ hear the songs, not even her mother.

Heather was in the kitchen when he entered, sitting at the table slurping up cereal. When she saw Will, her eyes went wide and she blushed a deep scarlet as she covered her mouth with a napkin.

"Morning," she said once she had swallowed.

"Morning," he replied, still standing, unsure of whether he should sit or not.

"Sit down," she said, pointing to the seat across from her. "I have something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?" he asked, sitting down and looking into her eyes.

The way he looked into her eyes made her want to melt on the spot. He had always looked at her like that, it was as if he could read every thought going through her brain, and look right into her soul.

"Well." She regained her composure. "I think we really, _really_ just need to talk, you and I. So I'm planning on calling one of the neighborhood moms and asking if they can take Hope for a little bit tonight. Then we have the whole house to ourselves, and we can work out everything."

Will nodded. Heather got up and walked to the phone, dialing a number before asking whoever was on the other line. Will's head shot up when he heard a pair of feet running down the stairs. There was Hope, standing in the doorway to the kitchen clad in purple pajamas with pink and blue stars. Her expression was confused for a very, very small moment before a smile stretched from ear to ear on her small face and she bounded towards her father.

"G'morning, Daddy!" she said, hopping onto his lap.

"Good morning, sweetheart." He kissed the side of her head.

Heather looked over at them from where she was standing by the phone. It was hard to believe they had only reunited last night. He and Hope were getting along so well.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Vincent," she said into the phone before hanging up. Then she turned to her daughter. "Hope? That was Christian's mom; you're gonna go over there and play with Christian for a little bit, okay?"

"But what if Christian's older brother is there again?" Hope looked frightened.

"Hope," Heather said, walking over to her daughter, "If Jimmy does anything, and I mean _anything_ to make you uncomfortable or upset, I promise I will beat him up with that baseball bat I keep under my bed."

Hope nodded before turning to face her father again.

"You'll be here when I get back, right?"

Will pulled his daughter closer and whispered in her ear, "Of course I will."

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><p>"Bye, Daddy!" Hope waved to her father from the front steps of Christian's house.<p>

Will waved and said goodbye before heading back towards Heather's. He was a little anxious about what was about to happen. He had feared that Heather would scream and yell at him, and now he knew that that was exactly what was going to happen. He deserved it.

"Hello?" he called into the house as he walked through the front door. "Heather?"

"In here!" She called. He found her sitting on a couch in the living room. There was a brief silence before she broke it with one word. "So..."

"Look, Heather," he began. "Before you say anything, I just want to say that it was all my fault. I was stupid and angry at myself for dragging you into such a huge mess and I had no idea what I was doing or why. I mean, I was scared shitless at the thought of being a dad. You were smart to take Hope and leave, 'cause you've done an awesome job raising such a great kid. I know if I were there while she was growing up she wouldn't have been as great as she is. And I don't expect you to come running back into my arms like we're in a Disney movie or something, 'cause that's just not us. We're _way_ to fucked up to be a fairytale."

Heather just stared at him for a moment.

"Well," she said finally. "Thank you."

"_Thanks_?" Will repeated, confused.

"Yeah," she said, smiling slightly. "For understanding why I'd be upset with you, and for not expecting us to go run off into the sunset together. I...I just can't do that."

Will understood. What if they had another, for lack of a better word, messy break up? He couldn't do that to Hope.

"So...friends?" he asked tentatively.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Friends."

She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close. There were so many things she wanted to say, but as she was trying to pluck up the courage to say them, the phone rang.

"Hello?" she asked into the receiver once she had picked it up.

Will watched her in awe. This was going better than he ever could have hoped.

"_Johnny?_" Heather asked into the phone incredulously.

His head shot up. _Johnny?_ Why was he calling.

"Hold on, I'm going to put you on speaker."

After pressing a button, the voice of Will's friend came out of the phone.

"Why hello there, William. This is _your best friend._ Thanks for calling and letting me know that you didn't get into a car crash driving up there, or that you weren't murdered in your sleep by Heather!"

"I can hear you, you know!" she snapped.

"Yeah, I know," Johnny said cockily. "Besides, I was just trying to be a good friend."

"Well, thanks Johnny Cakes," Will said, feeling extra happy at the moment, he had his daughter, he sort of had Heather, and now he had Johnny, too. "But you know what would make you an even better friend? If you occasionally remembered to take a fucking shower."

"Ewww." Was Heather's response while Johnny just said,

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, William! Wouldn't want to have the kid hear you using words like that now, would you?"

"The kid has a name you know," Heather said. Then an idea formed in her head. "And maybe someday, she'd like to meet her Uncle Johnny?"

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><p><strong>AN: I feel like this was really short and the ending was kind of strange but I'm in the mood to write some Johnny Cakes! Reviews?**

**Oh and um...I have a confession to make. Tomorrow I start camp for the next three weeks! I may still have time to update, but it's really unlikely. I'm really sorry! I'll try my best to at least write a few chapters even if I can't post them... :/**

**Also, I couldn't sleep at all last night, because an idea for a new fic came to me! IDK when I'll end up posting it on here, because I really want to get further into this story, but I just have so many ideas for the new one! So please be on the lookout for that, even if I don't end up posting it till August :D**

**Love you all! REVIEW!  
><strong>


	6. Getting Along

**A/N: I'M BAAAAAAAAACK! Camp is over. Which is sad because I had so much fun, but good because now I can keep updating! Yaaaaay! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love you all!**

**Oh and as for the whole Jimmy being Christian's older brother thing, I'm following the "Jimmy was just a figment of Johnny's imagination" plot. When I named him Jimmy, I chose that name because he is the bad boy druggie—not unlike Jimmy. So sorry, but no SaintJesus in this. :(**

**Disclaimer: Methinks you guys should know by now that I DON'T OWN AMERICAN IDIOT. I do, however, now own feathers in my hair! It looks so cool! XD**

**This chapter is dedicated to all the friends I made at camp... "**_**It's something unpredictable, but it the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life…**_**" because I know I did :)**

**Oh! One more thing! The first line in this chapter, if anyone can tell me what that is from, they shall…get some form of a prize…I'm not sure what it should be yet. Enjoy!**

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><p>"Get your zappers and set them to PEW! Pew! Pew, pew, pew!"<p>

Will smiled fondly as he watched his daughter play "Space Ranger" with her friends the next day. Everything was going right. He and Hope were becoming closer and closer as each day passed; Uncle Johnny was visiting in a week, possibly bringing along Uncle Tunny and Aunt Christina; and he and Heather were friends again. Life couldn't possibly get better.

"Um, excuse me?"

Will turned around to see a young woman holding hands with a small boy who looked around Hope's age. The woman was beautiful, there was no denying it. With her long auburn hair and bright green eyes, it took Will a moment to remember that she was talking to him.

"Hi," she said, walking over to him. "I'm Amber, and this little guy is Jake. We're visiting, um, family here and I was wondering if these kids would mind letting him play with them, just for today?"

"Of course," Will said, inviting her to sit down on the bench before calling out to Hope, telling her to make Jake feel welcome. "I'm Will, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Will."

After a brief moment of silence between the two, Will spoke up.

"So, you're visiting family here?"

"It's…" she searched for the right word. "Complicated. And you? You look young; I'm surprised you're not out working while your wife does this."

"Oh, um." He blushed deeply at the thought of Heather being his wife. No, it was too late for that, he had missed his chance. "I'm not—I mean I don't have a wife."

"Single dad?"

"Well." Will couldn't really figure out how to explain it. "Sort of."

Amber raised an eyebrow.

"It's…complicated." He smiled a little.

"Okay, okay." She held her hands up in surrender. "I had Jake seven years ago while I was still in college with a guy who was, at the time, my boyfriend. It wasn't planned, but when the baby came it all seemed to make sense. Until around a year later when we split; I took Jake and left, and ever since one of his friends asked where his dad was when he was four, he's been yearning to meet him. So that's why I'm here, and now I'm just avoiding seeing _him_ again. And you?"

Will then briefly explained what happened between him and Heather, and reassured Amber that if things had worked out for him, they would work for her.

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><p>Almost two hours had passed and Will and Amber were still sitting on the bench in the park, watching their children play together. They had spent the time just talking about everything, and had found that they were really similar. <em>Much more similar than him and Heather,<em> said a voice in the back of Will's mind.

"Well, it was really great talking to you, Amber," Will said, starting to stand up. "You're a really great person."

"You're not so bad yourself," she smirked at him. She reached into her bag and fished out a pen and a piece of paper. "This is my number," she said, handing him the paper. "Call me and we can do this again sometime. And I'll let you know how things go down with Matt."

Will felt an odd feeling inside him when she said the name of her ex-boyfriend. It almost felt like…jealousy? No, it couldn't be.

"Definitely," he agreed, then glanced over where his daughter and her son were. "And it looks like Hope and Jake won't mind seeing each other again."

The only word to describe Hope and Jake was adorable. They were sitting on a low branch in a tree, their legs swinging in unison a few inches above the grass. Jake whispered something in her ear, and Hope began to giggle softly.

"Hope!" Will called out at the same time that Amber called for Jake. Jake hopped off the branch before holding his hand out to help his new friend down.

Hope and Jake seemed to get along fine. And that was good for Will, because he couldn't help but feel attracted towards Amber.

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><p>"You and Hope seem to be getting along great," Heather commented as she and Will were washing the dishes together later that night.<p>

"What? Oh, oh yeah," Will said. His mind had drifted to Amber again, and the way she just seemed to _get_ him. "Yeah, I'm really grateful she doesn't hate me."

"How could she ever hate you?" she asked. "It's kind of impossible to hate you."

Heather realized what she said and blushed a deep scarlet, looking down at the plate she was scrubbing. Thankfully, at that moment Hope decided to burst into the kitchen in her pajamas, distracting both of them.

"Mommy!" she said, turning to Heather. "Did Daddy tell you about my new friend Jake? He's so fun and I wanna have a play date with him soon!"

"Okay, sweetie, but I want to meet his parents before you play with him again." Heather was turning back into her overprotective mom state. "I just want to make sure you're safe."

"But Daddy already met his mommy! They were getting along good!"

"Well, I just want to make sure." She leaned down to kiss her daughter's cheek. "Now, it's bedtime. Good night!"

As Hope bounded up the stairs, Heather glanced at Will, who was not really looking at anything, just staring off into the distance with a small smile on his face. Thinking about Amber.

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><p><strong>AN: Yay another chapter done! Woo!**

**Oh and GUESS WHAT. I've **_**finally**_** seen Spring Awakening! A friend of mine played Wendla in the first ever amateur production of the show in America and I saw it! You know what that means, right? SPRING AWAKENING FICS. Hopefully. I'm not sure if I'll be able to capture those characters or not…if I do end up writing anything for SA it'll most likely be Moritz-centric, he's my fave character :) Have any of you guys written SA fics? If so, let me know! I'll read 'em! :D**

**Reviews?**


	7. A Lovely Little Reunion

**A/N: I have no excuses. I honestly don't know what happened. Actually, I do. School :/ I am so, so, **_**so**_** sorry it's been so long!**

**Disclaimer: **_**Dreaming…I was only dreaming…of another place and time…where I owned this show…**_

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><p>It was established by Will and Heather that Will would stay until Hope really felt they had gotten to know each other. Then he would go back to Jingletown and Hope would stay with him on the weekends and some school vacations.<p>

"I know it's gonna be hard for you and her," Heather said, "but I'm afraid it'll be too complicated with you here and us not being, you know, _married_ or anything like that."

Will nodded his head. He looked around the living room, at the scribbly drawing taped to the walls, the stack of Disney princess movies next to the TV that Hope had once accidentally tried to paint with nail polish, the bucket of dilapidated Barbie dolls worn out from being played with so much. He had missed so much of his daughter's childhood, but he didn't want to force himself into her life. He was grateful for the opportunity to even see her again, not to mention having her live with him on weekends.

"Thanks, Heather," he said earnestly. "Really, I'm so lucky to be here with her."

He opened his arms and they embraced tightly. They broke apart when they heard little feet pounding down the stairs. Hope appeared, a curious look on her face at seeing her parents so close to each other.

"Okay, Hope!" Heather said, breaking the slight tension and stepping away from Will. "You ready for Daddy to take you to school?"

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><p>"I think something's up with them, but my mommy keeps saying that they're just friends." Hope was telling Gloria later that day at recess. "So I need your help with Operation Mom and Dad."<p>

"Operation Mom and Dad?" Gloria asked, her eyes wide as she readjusted herself on the woodchips under the slide.

"Yup." Hope replied, popping the _p._ She had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I'm getting my parents back together."

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><p>"So you must be Will."<p>

Will turned to find a woman who looked to be in her late thirties or early forties. He was standing at the bus stop on the end of the street, waiting to pick Hope up.

"I'm Trisha, her friend Gloria's mom," the woman said, extending her hand. Will shook it. "You know, I think it's so sweet that you came to find your daughter."

"Oh, well thanks," Will said. "I just…I screwed up big time when Heather was pregnant, and I still haven't forgiven myself, but I wanted to make things as right as I could."

"That is so sweet," Trisha said earnestly. "My father left when I was three, and I wanted nothing more than for him to come back. If only he had been as caring as you."

Will was really grateful for that comment; it made him feel like it really was the right choice to find them again. Then the school bus rolled up to the corner, and Hope jumped out and into her father's arms. They walked hand in hand back to the house where Heather was preparing dinner.

As he sat down to the delicious looking lasagna, Will looked around the table. There was Hope who had sauce smeared all over her face already, and Heather reaching for a napkin to help her wipe it off. It was almost like they were a family.

Will smiled widely before digging in. He had a family.

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><p>Before they knew it, it was Friday again, and Johnny, Tunny, and Christina were coming to visit for the long weekend. Heather was more excited than she thought she was going to be. She hadn't seen anyone from Jingletown in seven years, and she had always enjoyed Johnny and Tunny's company. Johnny never failed to make her smile, and Tunny was the caring one, who would always listen to her problems. Will had left around midday to pick them up, planning to be back just after Hope would arrive home from school.<p>

On his drive down to Jingletown, he passed a small billboard advertising family photos for Christmas cards. On it was a blonde woman who was obviously the mother, a man with dark brown hair, and in their arms a little blonde girl with a Santa hat on. Could that be prophesizing something?

As he pulled into the driveway of the house he, Johnny, and Tunny all used to live in, he realized how much he had changed in such a short time. He wasn't the same person. Sure he had always been Hope's father, but now he really was a dad. A dad who could protect his little girl from monsters under the bed, and bullies, and boys (when she was old enough). A dad who could take her to the movies or the park, who could play dress up and dolls. He vowed to be the greatest dad on the planet.

He fumbled in his pocket for the key, and then opened the door, calling out into the small house, "Hello? Johnny? Tunny?"

Will fell to the floor as his two best friends tackled him.

"Boys, boys, don't kill him!" came another voice from the couch. Will looked over to find Christina, Tunny's now wife, heaving herself off the couch, a hand resting on her bulging stomach.

Will's eyes widened. "Wait a second," he said, looking at Tunny. "You knocked her up and didn't tell me?"

"We wanted to tell you in person, and we've been away for so long." Christina laid a hand on his shoulder. "But now that you're here, you know that in about a month you'll be a dad _and_ an uncle to this little guy."

Will smiled and looked at the happy couple. A love like theirs was hard to come by.

"Well, this has been a lovely little reunion," Johnny said, "But I'd like to meet my niece."

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><p><strong>AN: I still can't get over how long it's been since I updated this. I. AM. SO. SORRY. Review, please! Reviews make me almost as happy as I was when I met Aaron Tveit! Yes, **_**that **_**is what I've been up to since I last updated. :)**


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